Customer Reviews

Hard News (Rune Trilogy)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

One of the bonuses of Deaver's current success is that some of his previously out-of-print books have been put back in print and are now accessible to a wider audience. I thought that "Hard News" was very entertaining, even though I don't find Deaver's earlier work as good as his more recent, nor his Rune series as good as Lincoln Rhyme. Deaver has depicted Rune expertly, making her personality so vividly clear that her ditzy behaviour actually grates as it would in real life (the restaurant scene is particularly memorable).

Rune's adventures are always fun; Deaver seems to let himself go more and throws out some immensely amusing one-liners that do not seem to appear as often in the more sober Lincoln Rhyme series. Several had me chuckling out loud. He also manages to throw in his signature snippy/school-marmy grammar lesson, this time quite early on in the book. And as with all his works, you can't guess the ending unless you throw in at least three major surprises/plot changes -- a device still fun even after reading nearly ten of his books.

All in all, good fun reading for a plane or train trip.

Rune is simply wonderful. I love her to pieces. She's quirky, fun, naive in childlike way, and just a wonderfully likeable character.

The Rune books are not the deepest books you will find. Nor are they the most exciting and thrilling. (Although they are quite.) But, they are quite atmospheric tales of New York and complex crime.

They are quirky, immense fun to read, and light hearted. Don't take them too seriously (this is what most people do with their reading...they take it far too seriously. Which spoils what would otherwise be enjoyable fiction.) and you will really relish them.

The plots are complex, the twists completely unguessable. (As is the norm with Deaver.) He is currently my favourite writer, and these little gems from the past only further convince me of the fact that he is probably the best storyteller i have come across in a very long time. Great characters, great plot, stunning writing. (I adore his style.)

If you like quirky, fun, lighthearted books with a tense edge, his Rune series is definitely for you. (I hope he ressurects her in the near future for a fourth novel.)

Hard News" again features the delightful, one-of-a-kind Rune who first appeared in "Manhattan is My Beat." As in all the Deaver books, this one has good pace. The dialogue is crisp, frequently funny and dramatic.

What was needed was a good editor. The last 20 pages should have been the first to go. What was a fairly good mystery turned ludicrous. There are at least four characters who could/should have been eliminated. Take your pick. (Claire, child, preppie young man and Maisel are mine).

If you are a die-hard Deaver fan (as I am), read "Hard News" as a curiosity to see how the writer evolved. For all others, I'd recommend it for those who like an unusual protagonist (Rune). Grade C

This was the very first book I had read of Jeffery Deaver's and to get right to the point-it was great! Where to begin..the plot, characters, atmosphere were perfect.This book really had a wonderful plot, right when you think you know what is happening or going to happen, Deaver throws a curve ball. I love twists in books and Deaver gave me that twist.

A friend turned me on to Jeffery Deaver a few years ago when he loaned me a copy of The Bone Collector. I flew through it in one day and was hooked. I love it when I find an author that blows me away and then find out that he has written much more. I headed for the bookstores to grab all the Deaver books I could...Praying for Sleep and A Maiden's Grave were particularly good and after I devoured all the books I could find in print I was disappointed to discover that there were more out there that I couldn't read. My local library had Death of a Blue Movie Star...but none of the others. It was great to see that Deaver's current success is allowing fans to see his early work again. I bought Hard News last night and read the whole thing today. Rune is a great character and the story has the typical Deaver twists and turns. The best thing about this short series is that Rune seems to be growing as a character and I truly hope Deaver brings us another Rune mystery. If you haven't read Deaver's books, this is a great place to start. If you have, you'll love the early work just as much.

Women write excellent novels about women. This should not be startling news. Some men write well about women, but not that many. This also should not be news. Baldacci does an excellent job. He stays away from sex and clothing. LeCarre does a magnificent job. Robert B. Parker on occasion hits nothing but net with his new 'Sunny Randall' series, but not all the time. Too often, they're male characters who are a size 5. This is the case with Deaver and 'Rune.'

First of all, the one name bit. Who are we kidding? Have you in your personal lives ever known a human being with one name? I have not. I don't know anyone who knows any one named persons. So at the very outset, it's incredible.

Then she's an assistant camera person who talks her way into the major talent on a news program, and talks herself into an assignment of major consequences. That happens every day. She worked in a video store before this! She was a salesgirl!

She lives on a houseboat in Manhattan. Now you know that Manhattan, insofar as Real Estate goes, makes Ann Arbor, Lincoln Park and Santa Barbara look like the ghetto. So . . . how? How does she afford this? She has a $50,000 dollar camera . . . how?

Her tastes are promiscuous, she's caring for a 4 year old abandoned child, feeding her cheetos and sardines, she get's a murderer out of prison on guile and deception.

It was a struggle, Mr. Deaver, to finish this book. And finally, most readers CAN'T STAND when the agent says 'Hey, you're really selling now. Got anything you wrote 20 years ago?' That's what this is. It's just a republication of a republication. Come on. We deserve more than that. We are your faithful fans. 1 star. Larry Scantlebury

As the last of the Rune novels I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone looking for a quick read.

I agree with the previous reviewer about the extra Characters that did not really add anything to the story. there is some good humor and it is a quick easy read, it never really grabbed me though. It did became disjointed at the end.

I never felt much sympathy for the Randy Boggs character, and I think that is needed to make this book really work. the book is probably more of a chick's book. If you like Mystery/thrillers with a quirky female lead character this might be the book for you.

Deaver is one of my favorite mystery writers, but this book did not do him (or the book) justice. Too much 'fillling' and not enough meat. I will not read another Rume mystery. Disappointing but OK.

HARD NEWS is the third in a series of Deaver novels centering around the character of Rune. In this chapter Rune has made some progress and is working as a camera person for a local news affiliate. She receives a letter from a man in prison detailing not only his innocence but the dangers that surround him where he is. The emotional Rune makes his case her own personal crusade and pitches the story to a national news program. The problem is that the prisoner was convicted of murdering the former president of the same news network. Some high power people greenlight the story but it seems unknown forces are out to sabotage Rune's attempt at investigative journalism. As with any Deaver mystery there are twists and turns and there is more to the story than even Rune imagined.

The plot of the story lags at first but picks up in a big way half way through the book. Rune's character is a bit more interesting in this novel than in the past two. She seems to have developed some strength and isnt quite as whimsical. Deaver even lays off the more often than not romantic plot line on this one. The result in a more interesting book throughout. While the ending is not the most original in terms of mystery fiction, it is also not as transparent as some prior attempts. The book held my interest throughout and was well worth the read. Hopefully with his recent success Deaver will see fit to resurrect the Rune series. An exciting four star read.